Board game

ABSTRACT

A board game comprising a playing board having a flat surface marked in a grid pattern to form discrete areas. A plurality of flat playing tiles, dimensionally corresponding to the discrete areas are placed on the surface of the board by the players along with one start and one home tile for each player. Eacy playing tile has a different set of direction vectors on its exposed surface so that after the players have placed all the playing tiles on the board surface, a playing surface consisting of the direction vectors is presented. Each player is provided with a transparent playing piece which at the beginning of the game is placed on the player&#39;&#39;s home tile. Play commences with one player moving his playing piece to a playing tile so that the direction vectors on that playing tile may be viewed through the playing piece. The opponent may then move his playing piece to a playing tile in any of the directions indicated by the vectors so viewed. The other player may then move his playing piece in a similar fashion. Play continues until one of the players moves onto his own home tile at which time that player wins the game.

United States Patent Powers BOARD GAME William T. Powers, Northbrook,[IL

Inventor:

Filed:

] Assignee:

] Appl. No.:

[11] 3,820,791 1451 June 28, 1974 Primary E,\'an1iner-Anton O. OechsleAssistant Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro 5 7 ABSTRACT A board game comprisinga playing board having a flat surface marked in a grid pattern to formdiscrete areas. A plurality of flat playing tiles, dimensionallycorresponding to the discrete areas are placed on the 52 US. Cl. 273 131B, 273 136 H, 273 137 R i51i 1m. (:1. Asst 3/00 Surface of the heard bythe Players along one [581 Field of Search 273/131 137 R 134 start andone home the for eeeh PhtYer- Eeey Playing tile has a different set ofdirection vectors on its ex- [56] References Cited posed surface so thatafter the players have placed all the playing tiles on the boardsurface, a playing sur- UNITED STATES PATENTS face consisting of thedirection vectors is presented. 519.326 5/1894 Dav ds 273/131 K Eachplayer is provided with a transparent playing glans g piece which at thebeginning of the game is placed on 2585268 241952 1:2" B the playershome tile. Play commences with one 2:732:211 1/l956 FOSIerI IIIQHU...273/131 AB Player moving his Playing Piece to a Playing the 50 2,847,2228/1958 Weeks 273/137 R x that the direction Vectors that Playing the mayhe 3,155,391 11/1964 Chittenden 273/131 AD viewed through e p y Piece epp h y 3,309,092 3/1967 Hardesty et al 273/134 GA then move his playingp1ece to a playing tile 1n any of 3,430,960 3/1969 Warman 273/I31 AB thedirections indicated by the vectors so viewed. The

OTHER PUBLICATIONS other player may then move his playing piece in asim- Pl M I M 1972 40 ilar fashion. Play continues until one of theplayers mgs moves onto his own home tile at which time that player winsthe game. 2

11 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures v 2 xsa'tie e :s/ N t -i 1 ii i 7'l'lll 133 c at 1 2a 1 1 "I'- i lli' 1 2 1 I g 1 y l 1 lll ll l "1,4

PATENTEnJuazs 1974 BOARD GAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates generally to board games. More specifically, it relates to boardgames wherein playing pieces are moved from start points to finishpoints.

Over the years there have been numerous board games proposed and playedby people. Generally, they fall into one of two types. A first type isone wherein playing pieces are moved over a board in a somewhat randomfashion to get from a start point to a finish point or home point inorder to win. The movement in such games is usually dictated by chance,that is, dice are thrown or a pointer is spun to come to rest on anumber. The opportunities for strategy in such games are limited. Thereare variations of such games where some element other than chance isintroduced, but in the main the game advances and is won in large partby chance.

There are, of course, other board games wherein playing pieces may bemoved in certain paths to capture the pieces of an opponent. Chess andcheckers are, of course, examples of such games. These games requirethat players make their moves in the light of the position of theiropponents pieces. To this extent, there is a kind of feedback orinterplay between the two players. However, there is no direct feedbackfrom one player to another in the sense that a move on the part of oneplayer compels his opponent to make a choice of moves from a limitednumber of possibilities. It is probably so in chess and checkers thatthe amount of feedback of this nature is directly related to the skillof the players. This has the effect of causing players to lose interestwhen players of unequal skill are matched.

It is believed, therefore, that it is possible to provide a board gamein which the players may find enjoyment in exercising their skill at thegame, but in order to achieve that end does not require that the playersbe of equal skill. That is to say, a board game which does not dependupon chance and wherein there is a feedback, that is, the move of oneplayer dictating to at least a degree the move of another player andwherein the players are given an opportunity to exercise or plan theirmoves, would provide entertainment for a large number of people spanninga considerable age bracket and skill level.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel boardgame which does not depend on chance but at the same time can be playedby people of varying degrees of skill.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel board game inwhich there is a feedback or interaction between the players because themove of one player controls his opponents moves to a very limited numberof possibilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the foregoing and other objects of theinvention are achieved by providing a playing surface, which isassembled in the initial part of the game by placing a number ofdirection indicating vectors on a game board. Playing pieces areprovided to be moved according to the vectors from a starting place to afinishing place as the game proceeds with the player reaching hisfinishing place first winning.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention itself is set forth inthe claims appended hereto and forming a part of this specification. Anunderstanding of an embodiment of the invention may be derived from thedetailed description taken in conjunction with the following drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a game board in accordance with the inventionprior to the commencement of play;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the game board at an early stage in thebeginning of play;

FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of a playing piece which may beused with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of still another playing piecewhich may be used with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of a starting tile forming a partof the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of another starting tile forming apart of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of a finishing or home tile forminga part of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective illustration of another finishing or home tileforming a part of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective illustration of one form of a playing tileforming a part of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective illustration of another playing tile forming apart of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a playing board in the form in which itappears after a first phase of the game has been completed with thetiles shown in FIGS. 5 through 10 positioned by the players;

FIG. 12 is a partial plan view of the game board in accordance with theinvention showing the positioning of various playing tiles during thefirst phase of the game; and

FIG. 13 is a sectional view along the line 13-13 of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The game board shown in FIG. 1 is generallyconstituted by a flat surface on which are provided a plurality ofdiscrete areas. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the game boardis formed by a flat surface 2 bounded by upstanding ledges 4 around allsides and, as may be seen, has a rectangular configuration. The board,of course, can be formed of any suitable material, as, for instance,wood, plastic or fiberboard or even metal for that matter. It need notbe rigid, in which case, however, it would have to be supported on arigid flat surface. The upstanding ledges 4 are not necessary but aredesirable for they constrain the playing tiles from undesired movementwhile the game is in progress.

Provided on the falt surface 2 are a plurality of discrete areas 6formed by marking the flat surface in some fashion. In the illustratedembodiment, this is accomplished by providing vertical and horizontalscoring lines or grooves 8 in the surface of a wooden board. As may beseen, the grooves 8 provide a plurality of discrete areas 6, in thiscase, sixty-four rectangular such discrete areas.

FIGS. 5 through 10 each illustrated a different type of tile which, inaccordance with the contemplated rules of the game, are to be placed onthe flat surface 2 in the discrete areas 6. Each one of the tiles isformed as a three-dimensional rectangular element whose length and widthcorrespond approximately to the length and width of any one of thediscrete areas. Obviously, the tiles may be formed out of any suitablematerial.

The first tile 10, that shown in FIG. 5, is intended to be the startingtile of one of the players. A player identification symbol 12 isprovided on the top surface of that tile and at the start of the game isplaced in one corner of the playing board, as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 illustrates the starting tile 14 of the other player, and as maybe seen, its upper surface is provided with a different playeridentification symbol 15. At the start of the game, the tile 14 isplaced on the same side of the board as is the tile 10 but, as may beseen in FIG. 2, in a corner opposite that of the tile 10. Obviously, theplayer identification symbols, a circle in the case of 12 and a squarein the case of 16, may be varied, but, as will be seen, the use of thecircle and square as shown facilitates the actual game playing.

FIGS. 7 and 8, respectively, show a finishing tile 16 corresponding tothe starting tile 10 and a finishing tile 18 corresponding to thestarting tile 14. The finishing tile 16 is provided with a playeridentification symbol 20 corresponding to symbol 12 on the tile 10except that in the case of the symbol 12 it appears as a solid colorwhile the symbol 20 appears as a simple circle in order to distinguish astarting tile from a finishing tile. The finishing tile 18 is likewiseprovided with a player identification symbol 22 corresponding to theplayer identification symbol 15. As may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 12, thefinishing tiles l6 and 18 may be located on opposite ends of the boardfrom the tiles l and 14.

Each player is provided with a playing piece. These are shown in FIGS. 3and 4. FIG. 3 illustrates a playing piece 24, rectangular in crosssection, for one player while FIG. 4 illustrates a playing piece 26,circular in cross section, for the other player. The playing pieces 24and 26 are formed of any suitable transparent material, preferablyplastic, so that when in use the surface of the playing board may bevisible from beneath the playing pieces resting thereon. It is to benoted that the shape of the playing piece 24 corresponds to the shape ofthe player identification symbols l and 22 while the shape of theplaying piece 26 corresponds to the shape of the player identificationsymbols l2 and 20.

Shown in FIG. 9 is a blank tile 28 dimensionally approximating one ofthe discrete areas 6. In a preferred embodiment of the game, four suchblank tiles are provided and at the start of the game are placed on theplaying board in the center thereof, as shown in FIG. 2. The blanktiles, when so placed, constitute inner borders of the playing area ontowhich the playing pieces 24 and 26 may not move. It is possible in avariation of the game for the players to locate the blank tiles in anydiscrete area 6 of the playing surface which they may choose.

The game is completed by the provision of a plurality of rectangular, inthis embodiment, playing or vector tiles 30. Each playing or vector tileis provided with three directional indicia or vectors 32 on its uppersurface as well as a indicator or marker 34 indicating the bottom of thetile or how it is to be oriented on the playing board.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the vectors 32 on eachvector tile are different and indicate three out of a possible eightdirections of movement. The eight possible directions are up and downvertically, to the right or left horizontally, and four possiblediagonal movements. In the illustrated embodiment of the game, there arefifty-six vector tiles, each, as stated, being different from eachother.

With this understanding of the various game elements, the manner inwhich the game may be played will now be described. As indicated above,it is contemplated that the game will be played in two phases. In thefirst phase of the game, the start, finish and blank tiles are placed asshown in FIG. 2. The players then, alternating, each take twenty-eightvector tiles. This is done after the players have decided in whateverfashion they choose which is to have the rectangular playing piece 24and which is to have the circular playing piece 26.

The playing pieces are placed on their associated starting tiles 10 or14.

After the players have each selected twenty-eight vector tiles,depending on which player goes first, they take turns placing the vectortiles on the discrete areas 6 remaining on the flat surface 2. It iscontemplated that these may be placed in any empty discrete area. As maybe seen in FIGS. 2 and 13, each vector tile is placed with its bottom oralignment indicator similarly oriented so as to insure that when thevector tiles are placed on the fiat surface no vector tile will offerthe same possibilities of movement as any other vector tile. The firstphase of the game is completed when all of the vector tiles have beenplaced, as shown in FIG. 11. The effect of this is to present a playingsurface with start and finish tiles and a plurality of vector tiles overwhich the playing pieces may be moved.

It is to be noted that even during this first phase of the game theplayers have an opportunity to exercise strategy or plan. For instance,it would be desirable for one player to place tiles with vectorspointing toward his finishing tile near his opponents finishing tile foras the game nears an end both players may be near their finishing tiles,and it would be desirable from that players point of view to have hismove possibilities be in the direction of his finishing tile. Anotheropportunity to exercise strategy or planning is that a player might findit desirable to place vector tiles around his starting tile which wouldpermit his opponent to move only in the direction of his starting tile.Strategy in tile placing can be learned as a players familiarity withthe game increases.

The end result when the first phase of the game is completed is topresent a playing board wherein the vector tiles indicate a number ofmovement possibilities. Each time the game is played a different playingboard is presented at the end of the first phase, thus adding interestand variety to the game.

After the vector tiles have been placed, as shown in FIG. 11, the secondphase of the game begins. Whichever of the players is entitled to movefirst moves his playing piece off of his starting tile to one of theadjoining vector tiles. For instance, assuming the player using thecircular playing piece 24 is entitled to move first, he may move hisplaying piece to any one of the vector tiles 36, 38 or 40 bordering onhis starting tile 10. When he completes his move, his playing piece isresting on the surface of the selected vector tile and the vectors onthe face of that tile may be seen through his playing piece. The vectorsso visible then indicate the three directions in which the playersopponent might move. For instance, if the player using the playing piece24 moves to the tile 36, the movement possibilities are upward,diagonally upward to the left and diagonally downward to the left whenthe game is played, as shown in FIG. 11. In this situation, the playerusing the playing piece 26 may move to either the vector tile 42 or 44bordering on his starting tile 14. He cannot move to the vector tile 46because that is not in the direction of one of his permissible moves.Likewise, he cannot move diagonally downward to the left as the edge ofthe playing board forbids that. Faced with the choices indicated, if theplayer using the playing piece 26 moves diagonally upward to the left toplaying tile 44, he presents his opponent with the choice of movingupward, horizontally to the left or diagonally downward to the right.The opponent then makes his choice of the three possible moves and thegame continues with the players alternating moves in their objective tobe the first to reach their corresponding finishing tile 16 or 18.

The game thus provides a direct feedback between the movement ordecision of one player to his opponent in that the player who has justcompleted his move presents his opponent with a limited number ofpossibilities for the following move. The game also provides anopportunity for each player to exercise planning or strategy for as hemoves he will want to come as close to his finishing tile as he canwhile at the same time trying to cause his opponent to move away fromthe opponents finishing tile.

The game procedure described above may be considered the basic game forit is possible to have variations. For instance in the first phase ofthe game the vector tiles may be divided equally between the players andmaintained face downwardly until one is picked up to be placed on theflat surface 2. Thus, an element of chance may be introduced into thisphase of the game. As indicated above, the blank tiles 28 need not beplaced in the center of the board but may be arbitrarily placed by theplayers just as they placed the vector tiles.

It is contemplated that other variations may be made in the game rulesand that variations may be made in the configuration of the game board,the tiles and the playing pieces. Also, variations may be made in thenumber of vectors on the vector tiles. it is intended by the claimsappended hereto and forming a part of this specificaion to cover allvariations which come within their scope.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters patent is:

1. A game comprising a playing board having a flat surface, said fiatsurface having a plurality of discrete areas formed thereon, some ofsaid discrete areas being reserved for starting and finishing positions,one starting and finishing position for each player, a plurality ofmovable playing tiles each with a surface having boundariessubstantially corresponding to those of said discrete areas whereby anyplaying tile may be placed on said flat surface in any discrete areaunoccupied by any other playing tile or any discrete area reserved forstarting and finishing and when so placed said playing tiles formsubstantially the entire playing surface of the game, one playing piecefor each player for placement on the playing surface formed by saidplaying tiles and constructed to permit viewing of the surface of anyplaying tile on which any playing piece is disposed, each playing tilehaving on its visible surface two or more directional indicia indicatinglimits on the movements of said playing pieces disposed elsewhere onsaid playing surface and each set of indicia on any one playing tilebeing different from the set of indicia on any other playing tile.

2. The game of claim 1 in which said playing board is rectangular andsaid discrete areas are formed in a rectangular grid pattern.

3. The game of claim 2 wherein said playing tiles are rectangular andeach playing tile when placed on said board surface overlies a discretearea.

4. The game of claim 1 wherein each of said playing pieces has adifferent shape.

5. The game of claim 4 wherein each playing piece is formed from atransparent material so as to permit viewing of the directional indiciaon said playing tile surfaces when a playing piece is on a playing tilesurface.

6. The game of claim 5, including one start tile and one finishing tilefor each player.

7. The game of claim 6 including a plurality of tiles having blanksurfaces.

8. The game of claim 7 wherein said board has sides extending above saidflat surface.

9. The game of claim 8 wherein said tiles are formed as solid rectangleshaving a length and width greater than their height.

10. The game of claim 1 wherein said indicia are in the form ofdirectional vectors.

11. The game of claim 10 wherein each playing tile is provided with anorienting indicator thereon.

l =l l

1. A game comprising a playing board having a flat surface, said flatsurface having a plurality of discrete areas formed thereon, some ofsaid discrete areas being reserved for starting and finishing positions,one starting and finishing position for each player, a plurality ofmovable playing tiles each with a surface having boundariessubstantially corresponding to those of said discrete areas whereby anyplaying tile may be placed on said flat surface in any discrete areaunoccupied by any other playing tile or any discrete area reserved forstarting and finishing and when so placed said playing tiles formsubstantially the entire playing surface of the game, one playing piecefor each player for placement on the playing surface formed by saidplaying tiles and constructed to permit viewing of the surface of anyplaying tile on which any playing piece is disposed, each playing tilehaving on its visible surface two or more directional indicia indicatinglimits on the movements of said playing pieces disposed elsewhere onsaid playing surface and each set of indicia on any one playing tilebeing different from the set of indicia on any other playing tile. 2.The game of claim 1 in which said playing board is rectangular and saiddiscrete areas are formed in a rectangular grid pattern.
 3. The game ofclaim 2 wherein said playing tiles are rectangular and each playing tilewhen placed on said board surface overlies a discrete area.
 4. The gameof claim 1 wherein each of said playing pieces has a different shape. 5.The game of claim 4 wherein each playing piece is formed from atransparent material so as to permit viewing of the directional indiciaon said playing tile surfaces when a playing piece is on a playing tilesurface.
 6. The game of claim 5, including one start tile and onefinishing tile for each player.
 7. The game of claim 6 including aplurality of tiles having blank surfaces.
 8. The game of claim 7 whereinsaid board has sides extending above said flat surface.
 9. The game ofclaim 8 wherein said tiles are formed as solid rectangles having alength and width greater than their heIght.
 10. The game of claim 1wherein said indicia are in the form of directional vectors.
 11. Thegame of claim 10 wherein each playing tile is provided with an orientingindicator thereon.